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11.18.2016

Public Meeting on Developing the Digital Marketplace for Copyrighted Works (Dec. 9, 2016)

The Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force is pleased to announce a public meeting on Developing the Digital Marketplace for Copyrighted Works, to be held on December 9, 2016, at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Additional “watch parties” will be held at USPTO regional offices in Denver, Dallas, and Silicon Valley.

The Task Force is convening the meeting to facilitate constructive, cross-industry dialogue among stakeholders about ways to promote a more robust and collaborative digital marketplace for copyrighted works. The meeting will focus on initiatives in this space that relate to standards development, interoperability across digital registries, and cross-industry collaboration, to understand the current state of affairs, identify challenges, and discuss paths forward. It will also be an opportunity to explore potential approaches to the future adoption and integration into the online marketplace of relevant emerging technologies, such as blockchain technology and open-source platforms. The goal is to provide a platform for discussion, and to determine in what ways government can be of assistance. One outcome could be to establish working groups to tackle specific issues through a multi-stakeholder process.

The meeting will include panel sessions in the morning, an exhibition hall to showcase initiatives during lunchtime, and breakout sessions and a plenary discussion in the afternoon. Members of the public will have opportunities to participate.

Federal Register Notice: Additional details about the meeting are in a Federal Register Notice to be published on November 21, 2016.

Background: The July 2013 Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force’s Green Paper on Copyright Policy, Creativity, and Innovation in the Digital Economy identified several issues critical to economic growth, job creation, and cultural development on which the Department of Commerce’s Internet Policy Task Force planned to conduct further work, including the issue of how the government can facilitate the further development of a robust online licensing environment.

In addition to a 2013 public meeting and public comments, the Task Force hosted a public meeting on April 1, 2015, specifically to explore this latter issue. That meeting focused on the development and use of standard identifiers for all types of works of authorship, interoperability among databases and systems used to identify owners of rights and terms of use, and the possible creation of a portal for linking to such databases and licensing platforms. The December 9, 2016, public meeting will build on that discussion.

Jiminian Law PLLC is devoted to helping clients manage, protect, register, license, sell, grant and use their copyright(s) or defend it or themselves in matters of copyright infringement. Regarding copyright management, it is always best to be pre-emptive with your business and implement a copyright strategy. That is where I can come in. Providing knowledgeable and effective representation are the keys to my success. Danny Jiminian, Esq. is available for a free consultation if you call him at 917.388.3574 or 929.322.3546 or email him at danny@djimlaw.com.

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I am a lawyer specializing in the areas of sports/entertainment, business, intellectual property and nonprofits. Nothing on this blog is legal advice, it's just information and opinion. If you want legal advice and more, feel free to visit my professional website and hire me. (Fill out this short intake form for a free 15-minute consultation: HERE).